


Sexual Healing

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-24
Updated: 2006-03-24
Packaged: 2019-02-02 18:22:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12731844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: When Sam gets sick, Teal'c volunteers to care for her.





	Sexual Healing

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).

Sam Carter sneezed into a tissue and winced as the action caused her throat to explode with fresh pain. She'd felt like she was swallowing acid since she rolled out of bed this morning, but she wasn't willing to let that stop her from checking in at work, not when she had experiments running, or when she was waiting for the latest MALP telemetry to come in. 

"Sam?" Daniel's voice broke into what was left of her concentration. She should just quit while ahead. 

"Daniel?" she rasped out the best she could with her burning throat.

"Um, I thought we were going to have lunch..." He pointed behind him at the doorway.

"Right." Sam saved and shut down the simulation she was running. "I could use some tea..."

"Sam, you look awful."

"Thank you, Daniel. I feel awful, but it's nothing some fluids and sleep won't fix."

As she moved to hop off her stool, she slipped and almost fell to the floor if not for Daniel's quick hand around her arm. For a second her vision grayed out and the next thing she knew, her head was resting in Daniel's lap and the rest of her was on the floor. 

"Hold on, Sam, I called a medical team," he said, stroking her hair back gently. "God, you're burning up!"

She tried to stand. "It's just a bad cold, Daniel."

"Let me be the judge of that, Sam." Janet Fraiser made her way into the lab, followed by two assistants with a stretcher. "Let's get you to the infirmary."

* * *

Janet had the test results shortly after installing Sam in an empty infirmary bed. Daniel had rounded up the rest of SG-1 and the three men had gathered around her bedside. The colonel kept trying to give her green jello. Honestly, he meant well, but green jello? That just wasn't natural.

"Well, Sam, I'm afraid you've got infectious mononucleosis."

Oh, great. She could count down the time before someone made a bad joke. Five. Four. Three. Two. One...

"Sheesh, Carter, who have you been kissing?"

She could always count on the colonel to be the first. 

Teal'c turned and gave him a funny look. "Kissing?"

Daniel tried to explain, "Uh, Mono, it's called the kissing disease, because, uh, well, that's how you usually get it."

"Actually, Daniel," Janet broke in with a smile. "Epstein-Barr is a fairly common ailment and can be transmitted in other ways besides 'kissing."

"Epstein-Barr?" Jack repeated.

"Mono."

"Well, why couldn't you just say that in the first place?"

Janet sighed and turned back to Sam. "I'm going to prescribe you a course of Steroids that should take care of the inflammation in your throat and lymph nodes. It will also help the infection clear up that much quicker. I'm afraid I'm going to have to pull you off duty until you're healthy again."

Sam groaned. "Not even light duty, Janet? I have experiments running in the lab, and I'm waiting for the MALP telemetry for P34-738..."

The doctor shook her head, "Sam, trust me, soon you won't want to be anywhere but your own bed."

"So, you're ah, not quarantining her in the infirmary?" Daniel asked.

Sam threw her pillow at him. "I'm not planning on kissing anyone on base, Daniel."

"Actually," Janet interrupted again, "I'd prefer if you went home, Sam. Not only will you be more comfortable - and with Mono all you can do is rest it out really - but I can't risk having an infectious disease in the infirmary with the unpredictable nature of off-world missions."

"You're throwing me out?" Sam asked. This was one for the record books.

Janet nodded. "I'll give you the prescriptions, and as long as you rest and someone checks in on you regularly, you should be fine."

Fine, right. Sam felt like she could sleep for an entire week. 

"Yeah, Carter, we'll drop by, you know, after I finish this backlog of paperwork."

"And after I thoroughly examine some very old, ancient artifacts."

"Not that old, Daniel."

"Oh, I'd say antique."

"What?"

"What?"

To her surprise, Teal'c merely inclined his head and said, "I would be happy to serve as 'nursemaid' for you, Major Carter."

Jack slapped him on the shoulder, "There ya go, Carter. I'll be sure to get ya a little white hat, T."

"I already possess numerous hats, O'Neill."

"Aw, never mind, T."

"Excuse me," Sam tried to protest, but at this point her throat was causing her so much pain she could hardly speak. "I don't need a 'nursemaid,' Teal'c."

"Come on, Carter, give T the chance to use his new license." 

"They're actually letting Teal'c drive now?" Daniel pushed up his glasses.

It seemed like they were all ganging up on her. Sam sighed, frustrated. She never could resist when all three of them ganged up against her, especially now that Daniel was back and Jack seemed much lighter. She could understand that, she too felt lost and disconnected without Daniel. But that didn't explain Teal'c latest behavior. The Jaffa was downright teasing her during their recent mission, to try to win a race through space. She couldn't think of any reason for this turnaround, but was glad Teal'c had lifted himself out of the depression he had found himself in ever since the loss of his symbiote.

"Ok then," she sighed in agreement, allowing Janet to medicate her. Maybe she could get Daniel to bring her the MALP reports at home. A few chocolate-walnut cookies and he would be definitely on her side.

* * *

Janet proved once again to be right. Sam never felt so glad to see her own bed. She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. 

Sam opened her eyes sleepily, not sure at first where she was. The covers were tucked tightly around her, and the sheets were soft, so she couldn't be in her base quarters. She tried to sit up and the room started spinning. Oh, right, she was sick. Teal'c was taking care of her. She peeked under the sheets and found her shoes had been removed, but she was still mostly dressed. That was a relief. Although she knew Teal'c took his nursing duties seriously, she couldn't imagine being able to look him in the eye if he had undressed her. 

"I have brought you sustenance." Teal'c's voice from the doorway caught her attention. He carried a little tray, which he placed on the bed next to her. 

"Wow, Teal'c," she rasped hoarsely, taking in the arrangement of orange juice, tea and water, along with some toast with a variety of jellies. There was also a bowl of chicken soup that looked to be homemade and smelled delicious. "Did you make this yourself?"

He inclined his head. "No, Major Carter. I purchased the soup from the deli on Main Street."

Oh, my, now that must have been a sight to see. Sam was slightly annoyed that she had missed it. Teal'c had been interacting with Earth society for over 7 years now, but he was still an alien, with very different ways. Things that were simple to any child often eluded him. 

"Money?" she asked, her throat paining her too much to talk any more.

"I am using the credit card O'Neill helped me apply for. I never leave home without it."

She couldn't help it, she giggled, then coughed and regretted it. 

"Here, I believe these will provide assistance." Teal'c held out a bottle of pills. 

Now, which were these? Janet had given her a number of different drugs, including steroids, fever reducers and pain meds. 

She took the bottle from Teal'c and with relief saw the pain relievers. Good, maybe then she might actually be able to eat some of this. "Thanks, T," she rasped, her voice getting worse. 

Over the next few weeks, Teal'c proved invaluable. He cooked, kept the house neat, and helped her to the bathroom when she felt so weak she could barely stand. He did, however, scare away the paperboy, but she figured she could make it up to the kid later. 

At first she was too tired to appreciate his presence. Her existence could be summed up on one word: sleep. But gradually, she could stay awake for longer and longer periods. 

When he realized that, Teal'c pushed the television into her bedroom and hooked up the VCR. Then he treated her to a viewing of his favorite movies, first and foremost including the entire Star Wars trilogy.

"I find this 'light saber' to be a most useful and honorable weapon." 

"Better than a staff weapon?" Sam found herself teasing. 

Teal'c, who was sitting on the spare chair, turned and fixed her with a gaze. "Both weapons have their merits."

"And their flaws," she pointed out. "It would be nice to be able to deflect energy blasts."

"A power shield will perform the same function."

"And cut through naqueda bulkheads with minimal effort."

"A properly cared for staff weapon can blast through."

"Not with the same precision." Sam found herself getting into the debate, no matter that they were comparing a fictional weapon to an actual one. "I wonder if I could build one," she mused aloud. "If I can create a generator small enough, use a similar power cell to the one found in a staff weapon or 'zat." She looked up and found Teal'c's eyes gleaming. 

Soon he had brought her paper and pencils, and the two spent the evening producing blueprints for naqueda-powered light sabers. Although fun, Sam thought she might have a bit of hard time convincing Hammond of the worth of such a project.

That night, after Teal'c said goodnight and went off to sleep in the spare room, she stayed awake, thinking about him. At first, she hadn't wanted him as her 'nursemaid' as Colonel O'Neill put it. It wasn't that she doubted his ability or even his enthusiasm. Sam couldn't explain why exactly, just that it made her uncomfortable to depend on anyone so much. His presence here left her feeling safe.

Maybe that was it, she thought sleepily, heading rapidly for the dream realm. She had spent so much time independent and alone, that suddenly having someone there challenged her conceptions of what her life should be. She served alongside Teal'c, fought and bled with him, but never before let him into her private life like this.

Strange, she thought, because she found herself liking it. 

Janet stopped by for one of her weekly follow up sessions and seemed to be pleased at how well she was doing, "I think you'll be able to return to light duty by the beginning of next week."

"Next week?" Sam asked. She was sitting up in bed, feeling much better, although still slightly cranky. The television was on, and she had her latest Victor Vinge novel open on the bed next to her.

"We don't want to rush things, Sam. It's not common for people with Mono to be out of commission for months. You're doing extremely well. I understand you're a bit bored."

Sam snorted. Bored didn't quite cover it. She could swear that her brain had gone numb. She hadn't been able to concentrate enough to even pretend to work, at least until this week when she seemed to gain much of her strength back. "I am feeling much better."

"Then think of it as an extended vacation," Janet said gently. She packed her medical bag and left.

Of course, Sam didn't help prove her case any by falling asleep before Janet had even left the room. She was still so tired, despite the fact that all she had done for the past six weeks was rest and sleep. 

A gentle hand on her cheek roused her from sleep. Sam opened her eyes and met Teal'c's intense gaze, his face only inches from her own. She gasped, not because she was frightened of her friend, but because he had surprised her. 

"Teal'c?"

"Major Carter, forgive me." He pulled away sharply, but she caught hold of his hand.

"Teal'c? Is something wrong?"

"No, Major Carter, nothing is wrong." His voice was low, almost whispering.

"I appreciate you taking care of me, but really, you must have other things you need to do. I can manage for a while. Janet said I was doing much better."

He sat beside her on the bed, allowing her to continue to hold his hand. "Samantha Carter," he murmured. "There is something I must tell you."

She bent her head to one side, not sure what exactly was going on here. "Teal'c?"

"Over the past few years I have come to admire you as a friend and fellow warrior." She grinned as he spoke, sometimes Teal'c could be so sweet. "And over time, that admiration has become something else, it has become love."

Before she could react to that startling revelation, he bent forward and gently touched her lips with his. All she could think of was how soft he was, how tender.

Then she recalled the past few missions and got angry. How could he come here confessing words of love to her, when she knew, knew he belonged to someone else. "Teal'c," she said, "how can you say that? I know you were intimate with Ishta."

Then she caught the look on his face, saw how his normally stoic features fell. His chin quivered with emotion. "My relationship with Ishta was...different."

"Different? How so?" The fact that they were sitting here, discussing Teal'c's sex life should be disturbing. The fact that it wasn't, well, that made it even more disturbing.

"Among the Jaffa, it is often the custom for an older warrior to take a younger under his wing, to instruct him - or her -- in the ways of his tribe."

"So, uh, sex is part of that?"

He nodded gravely at her. "It can be. The relationship can be very affectionate, but it is still one of master and student."

She tilted her head to one side and just looked at him. From any other man this would just be another line of bull. With Teal'c, she wasn't so sure. "And this is what you had with Ishta?"

He nodded. "However, that is not what I desire with you. I would declare my intentions to court you, if you will have me, Samantha Carter."

She rubbed her eyes, it seemed that headache was coming back. "Teal'c," she sighed. "You can't just confess to sleeping with someone else then, then ask me to...did you just ask me to marry you?"

"It is the beginning of the process."

"God, Teal'c." She turned away from him, burying her head under her pillow, not able to deal with this just then. 

"I hope to earn your affections and prove my worthiness to be your husband. In time, if you agree, we shall be wed in the tradition of Chulak." His voice took on a hollow quality as Sam was forced to listen with the pillow as a buffer. "I shall present you as my bride to Master Bra'tac and to Ry'ac, as the mother of his future siblings."

"What!" Sam yanked the pillow from her face. "Aren't you taking things a little far, Teal'c? Children? I don't have time for children."

"Once you have left SG-1, there shall be plenty of time."

"Teal'c?"

"No wife of mine shall be forced to risk her life in such a capacity."

"Teal'c, I really think you need to leave now."

"You are angry?"

"Yes! I'm angry!" she shouted. How could he not understand that? How could he think she'd give up her life's work just to be his wife?

"I shall leave you then."

She heard the door open and she was glad Teal'c had gone. Sam buried herself under the covers. She tried to understand the impossible conversation they had just had. She had to have been dreaming. Teal'c, one of her closest friends and teammate had all but proposed. It didn't make any sense. Her thoughts should have kept her from sleep, but once again she just couldn't stay awake and drifted off again.

* * *

Teal'c sat in the car the Air Force had provided him with, slightly disturbed at how his declaration had been received. He had known the woman for seven years now and he still didn't know the proper way to approach her. Perhaps the problem lay in the difference between Jaffa women and Tau'ri women. He could not puzzle this out on his own, and decided to pay O'Neill a visit. If one man could help him it would be his closest friend on this planet. With that thought he mind, he put the car into gear and eased into traffic.

O'Neill opened the door quickly to his summons, an open bottle of beer clutched in one hand. "Teal'c! How many times have I told you? You only have to ring the door bell once."

"I find you come more quickly with repetition." 

He raised an eyebrow at the expression on O'Neill's face. 

"Um, come on in T. Shouldn't you be at Carter's?" O'Neill stepped inside and Teal'c followed.

Stepping over O'Neill latest project, a to-scale model x-302, he replied, "That is what I wish to speak with you about."

"Daniel! Teal'c's here!" O'Neill bellowed towards the kitchen. He fell onto the couch and took a gulp from his bottle. "Daniel just remembered some fantastic Ancient recipe. Or something."

"Jack?" Daniel Jackson appeared in the doorway between the dining area and this room. Apparently he did indeed take his cooking seriously, for he wore the domestic attire of a chef: a pale blue apron, as well as oven mittens on both hands. "Oh, hey Teal'c. Glad you're here, you can try this recipe I remembered...Hey, shouldn't you be at Sam's?"

Teal'c bowed slightly. "I should be, however, Samantha Carter requested that I leave her dwelling."

"Uh oh. You didn't insult her cooking, did you?"

At times O'Neill was the only one who found himself to be amusing. "No. I declared my intentions to court her." Teal'c felt proud at announcing his actions to his teammates. This was one of the many steps in the Jaffa courtship ritual. His warrior brothers should be able to aid him in this expression of love.

"Um, court her?" Daniel Jackson attempted to use his hands to gesture, but found his expression limited by the thick cloth covers. He took the end of one in his teeth and pulled it off. "Wike in mawwage?" he said through the cloth.

"Of course. My intentions are honorable."

"I thought you were, ah, seeing Ishta?" Daniel Jackson had spat out the errant oven mitt.

Teal'c inclined his head. It was unfortunate that his brothers did not understand his former relationship with the female leader of the rebel Jaffa. "My relationship with Ishta was entirely different. It was of one warrior to another, a sharing of strength and learning. And of course, that relationship is no longer extant."

Both O'Neill and Daniel Jackson remained silent for a moment.

"You fed Carter that line of bull and you still have your balls?"

Daniel Jackson coughed. "You know, as much as I hate to say it, I have to go with Jack here."

"You wish to detach my testicles?" 

"God, no!" Daniel Jackson took off his glasses and cleansed them with the oven mitten. "I'm saying that you, uh, may have unintentionally insulted Sam."

"No woman likes to hear about her guy's former conquests," O'Neill interrupted. "And surprise, surprise, Carter's a woman."

"Indeed she is O'Neill. Do not most women desire the fruitful union of marriage? I recall that Major Carter herself was once engaged to enter into a marriage contract."

O'Neill turned to look at Daniel Jackson. "You wanna field this one, culture boy?"

"This may take awhile. Let me take my cupcakes out of the oven." Daniel Jackson turned back towards the kitchen and Teal'c followed. His friend had already begun his lesson. "Have you ever heard of a woman named Gloria Steinem?"

Teal'c followed Daniel Jackson into the kitchen and helped him to tattoo his cupcakes. He took great pride in carefully etching out the Earth point of origin symbol in blue icing. While he worked, he listened, enraptured, as Daniel Jackson told him tales of the great female Tau'ri warriors: Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Gloria Steinem, Simone de Beauvoir, Martha Stewart, Barbara Walters, and Teal'c's personal favorite, the Oprah.

"Your women have fought hard and against great odds," he said. "But how can I use this information to gain Major Carter's love?"

"Oh, for crying out loud." At that point O'Neill entered the kitchen. "T, here's twenty bucks. Go buy a bunch of roses from the guy at the gas station on Clemens."

"It's times like this that I remember you're divorced, Jack."

Teal'c knew better than to get between his brothers' bantering. "You believe these 'roses' will help, O'Neill?"

"Sure, yeah, you betcha. Women love presents. You can pay me back later. Yadda."

* * *

When the doorbell rang, Sam stumbled out of bed and tripped over one of her slippers. "Damn it!" she muttered, rubbing her shin as she stalked across the room and threw open the door. "Janet?"

"Sam? Where's Teal'c?"

"I, uh, kinda threw him out."

Janet raised an eyebrow, doing such a good impression of Teal'c that Sam had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. "I see."

"Don't give me that look. It's a long story." Sam opened the door wider.

"You, on the couch. I'll make some tea." Janet stepped inside and took over. 

Sam couldn't say she wasn't glad, sinking into the soft cushions with relief. She might be nearly ready to get back to work, but frankly, she still felt like crap. Although, she thought, resting her head against the back of the couch, she was beginning to feel human again. She could swallow without much difficulty and the swelling around her neck had gone down. However, she still needed to sleep all the time, the virus's last effort to hang on to her body.

Her eyes were just drooping shut when Janet finally waved the mug of tea under her nose. "Thanks, Janet."

Janet dropped next to her on the couch, sipping her own cup. "Now can you tell me why you made Teal'c leave?"

"He kissed me."

"Sam, just because mono is called the kissing disease...he what?"

"He said he was in love with me."

"Oh, well that's certainly a darn good reason to throw him out then."

Sam gave her a weak smack on the arm. "Janet, that's not it. I've known the man for what, 7 years now, and suddenly he's in love with me? And shortly after he's had a very public romance with Ishta?" She snorted, then winced at the build up in her sinuses. Where were those tissues? Ah, there. Sam stood and made her way to the fireplace mantle. 

"Sam, you're not thinking about this clearly." Janet stayed on the couch, sipping her tea.

Sam ignored her for the moment, running her finger over a frame of a recent picture of SG-1. Colonel O'Neill had taken it at Daniel's welcome home dinner; she and Teal'c sat around him. Sam remembered how thrilled they had been to find him. Finally, Daniel was home and SG-1 was back. She touched the image of Teal'c, seeing him with that almost smile that meant he was happy. "I'm not sure what to think, Janet."

"What's changed, Sam?"

She turned to meet Janet's intense gaze over the couch. "What?"

"You're a scientist. Think about it logically. What's changed with Teal'c?"

"His symbiote." Sam chewed on the side of her mouth while she thought about it. "But that still..."

"Could he have approached you before?"

"Janet, he was married before. Oh. But that still doesn't explain Ishta."

Janet took a long sip of her tea, which frustrated Sam to no end. She knew Janet knew what she was getting at. "She was the first person he was with after Dray'ac."

"Janet..." Sam took one step towards her and stopped. "You think he was on the rebound?" Janet laughed, snorting in her tea and Sam found herself laughing along with her. She plopped back on the couch and closed her eyes. "God, Janet, that's priceless."

"Note that Ishta was also blonde..."

"Stop it." Sam laughed. 

"Honestly Sam, you could do worse. Hell, you have done worse."

Sam glared at her, then took a deep breath. "I won't give up my work for him, Janet."

"I really don't think Teal'c expects you to." Janet put an arm around Sam's shoulders and squeezed gently. "This is Teal'c, Sam, you've worked with him for years."

"Teal'c who expects his 'wife' to be home taking care of their copious children!"

"Teal'c who knows you almost as well as you know yourself. Who's backed you up on missions. Who's died with you, fought and bled with you. Sam, come on."

Sam rubbed the bridge of her nose, feeling the beginnings of a headache. Great, just what she needed. "Maybe you're right, Janet."

"Of course. I'm always right. Now, let's get you back into bed..."

Sam allowed Janet to lead her back into the bedroom, her mind heavy with thoughts of Teal'c. She touched her lips, remembering his softness and missing it.

* * *

Teal'c had decided to wait exactly two days before he returned to Samantha Carter's dwelling. He supposed she would need some time to 'cool down' and he would need the time to prepare. O'Neill's advice had been adequate, but the gas station lacked a selection of flowers he found acceptable. Fortunately, the attendant had directed him to an actual florist, where he could make use of his credit card.

After that and other preparations were made, Teal'c felt himself ready to face her once more. Dressed in his best outfit - a pair of tan pants, with a patterned sweater, and a tan cowboy hat with matching pattern around the brim -- holding the yellow roses in one hand, and Daniel Jackson's cupcakes in the other, he stared at the doorbell, wondering how he was going to manage to ring it. He contemplated using his nose, but determined that would be undignified. Teal'c stepped to the side and nudged the doorbell with his elbow. He could hear the chime chorus throughout the house.

Samantha Carter opened the door. For the first time since she began battling her illness, she looked like herself: color filled her cheeks, and her golden hair glittered about her face. Teal'c realized he was staring, and cleared his throat. "This floral sacrifice is to atone for my earlier behavior," he said with a faint bow.

"Oh, um, wow, thank you, Teal'c." She relieved him of his flowery burden. "I'll just put them in water. Come on in?"

He followed her into the house, the platter of cupcakes still in his other hand. They walked to the kitchen, where he watched as she removed a vase from a cabinet and began administering to the roses. "I am glad to see you doing well."

She jumped at his voice. "Yes, Janet says I can return to light duty on Monday. Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, we can use the beverage to wash down some of the Ancient Cupcakes Daniel Jackson provided me."

"Ancient cupcakes? How old are they?"

He cocked his head to one side. "They are exactly two days old."

"Ancient?"

"It is a recipe he remembered from his time with the Ancients."

Samantha Carter closed her eyes for a moment and her lips curved into a half smile. Then, as she spoke, the smile faded from her face. "Teal'c, we need to talk."

Those were the very words O'Neill had warned him against. "As you wish, Major Carter."

"Can you call me Sam, Teal'c? Please?"

He could refuse her nothing. "Sam." The short named rolled off his tongue with difficulty. "Samantha." There, that was better, there was a name worthy of her beauty and strength.

She grinned. "Close enough. Come on, let's sit in the living room."

He continued to follow her, the cupcakes still in one hand. As they sat on the couch, she took the platter from him and placed it on the coffee table. 

"Teal'c, we've been friends for a long time now..."

Ah, the 'let us be friends' speech. Yet another item O'Neill advised him to watch out for. "Samantha...I apologize for my actions. I took advantage of your illness in order to further my own selfish desires."

She gazed at him shrewdly for a moment. "Oprah?"

"Dr. Phil is a most wise man." 

"Ah." She looked away for a moment, then unwrapped the platter of cupcakes, taking one out. She tasted it hesitantly. "Oh, Chocolate. Yum."

He had fulfilled all of O'Neill's requirements for apology: floral sacrifice, gifts of chocolate and verbal recompense. Teal'c was not sure what to say next. So he too took a cupcake, at first discomfited to find one had the symbol of Apophis drizzled over the top with icing; O'Neill had decorated a few of the cupcakes while Daniel Jackson was occupied in his tale telling. Teal'c took a large bite, please to crush the blue colored icing between his teeth.

"Teal'c," she began, her hands in her lap, "Some of the things you said, about courtship..."

He reached out and lifted her hand in his. It seemed so small in his palm. She had a bit of icing along one finger, so he brought her hand to his lips and gently licked the blue frosting off. 

She gasped slightly, then pulled her hand away, only to run her knuckles along his cheek. 

"I never meant you to think I felt your work to be unimportant, Major Carter. My intent was to indicate my respect as a good husband according to my peoples' culture. Daniel Jackson tells me that may have been ill received."

"Just a bit," she answered with a grin. "But one think you're right about, if we do this, one of us needs to leave SG-1."

"I have loved you for years, acknowledging it should not change my behavior or ability to function as a member of SG-1."

"Oh, wow, Teal'c."

He took her hand again. "Does this mean you return my feelings?"

She shrugged. "I care very much for you, Teal'c, and those feelings could easily become love."

"Then give me the time to woo you, Samantha Carter."

"I," she began, then stopped again. "We need to take things slow, Teal'c. Maybe date?"

He bowed slightly. "It would be an honor."

* * *

Sam was in the middle of setting the table when the doorbell rang. She looked over at Teal'c who was busy preparing the pasta dish that they were to eat that night. He frowned at her. So, he wasn't expecting anyone either. 

She moved to answer the door. Sam still couldn't completely believe the changes in her life over the past 24 hours. However, there was a lightness in her step as she moved, and a perpetual grin that threatened to break out even now. She hated to feel cliché, but sometimes love did make everything look a bit brighter. 

Opening the door, she greeted Colonel O'Neill and Daniel, each holding a pizza. "Sir?" she asked, surprised to see them there.

"Heya Carter, how ya feeling? Still contagious?"

"No, sir. What are you doing here?"

The Colonel looked slightly hurt. "We brought pizza. Daniel brought his Indiana Jones DVDs. We were thinking you could use some company."

She couldn't stop the smile curving her mouth. The Colonel was almost as nosy as her Aunt Elda. "Normally, sir, I'd love to, but I, ah, have company." No reason to tell them it was Teal'c. Let them work that out on their own.

Both of them tried to peer around her, but Sam stood her ground, blocking the doorway.

"Another date, Carter?"

"You could say that, sir."

"Harumph," he muttered and she had to bit her lip to keep from giggling. Laughing at one's CO was generally a bad idea.

"Have fun, Sam," Daniel said, reaching out to pat her arm. "Let's go Jack."

Sam watched the two men walk towards the Colonel's truck, which was parked in front of her house.

"So what are we going to do now, Daniel?"

Daniel gestured wildly. "I seem to remember, maybe, something about Jello wrestling?"

The Colonel tossed him his cell phone. "Call Major Davis."

"At the pentagon?"

"He's at the mountain. Trust me, he'll want to get in on this..."

She closed the door with a grin, reminding herself to ask Teal'c about the Jello wrestling. And how exactly did he feel about the blue stuff?

End


End file.
